Spectrum HoloByte
Encyclopedia
Spectrum HoloByte, Inc. was a video game developer
and publisher
originally based in Alameda, California
.
The company was founded in 1983
and was most famous for its simulation
games, notably the Falcon
series of flight simulators and Vette!
, a driving simulator
from 1989
. Spectrum Holobyte published games for many platforms, including home computer
s of the 1980s and early 1990s, IBM PC compatible
s, and some video game console
s. The company was the publisher of the Solitaire Royale
, the first computer card solitaire program. They were the first to bring Tetris
to gamers outside the Soviet Union
and Sokoban
to gamers outside Japan
. It was also the distributor for Domark
games before Domark set up its own US operations in San Mateo, California
.
In 1993
, Spectrum HoloByte acquired MicroProse
. For the following years, games from both companies were published under their respective brands, but in 1996
all titles were consolidated under the MicroProse brand.
The merged company was acquired by Hasbro Interactive
in 1998, and what had been Spectrum HoloByte ceased to exist when the development studio in Alameda was closed in 1998. Hasbro
subsequently sold all the assets of the various Hasbro Interactive studios to Infogrames
, now Atari
.
The chairman of Spectrum Holobyte, Gilman Louie
, also founded Nexa Corporation, a developer of entertainment software, which went on to merge with Spectrum Holobyte.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
and publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
originally based in Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
.
The company was founded in 1983
1983 in video gaming
-Events:* A major shakeout of the video game industry begins. By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$3.2 billion to US$0.1 billion.* MCA Universal files suit against Nintendo, claiming that the latter company's video arcade hit Donkey Kong violated Universal's copyright on King Kong...
and was most famous for its simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
games, notably the Falcon
Falcon (computer game)
The Falcon line of computer games is a series of simulations of the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft. The games were developed and published by Spectrum HoloByte...
series of flight simulators and Vette!
Vette!
Vette! is a 1989 racing video game where the object is racing a Chevrolet Corvette through the streets of San Francisco. The game was notable for its detailed un-shaded polygon rendering of San Francisco streets. It was released on three floppy disks with a Black & White or Color version available...
, a driving simulator
Driving simulator
Driving simulators are used for entertainment as well as in training of driver's education courses taught in educational institutions and private businesses...
from 1989
1989 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* October 3, Brøderbund releases the Prince of Persia game, the first in a series of games, noted for its advancements in animation....
. Spectrum Holobyte published games for many platforms, including home computer
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
s of the 1980s and early 1990s, IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
s, and some video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
s. The company was the publisher of the Solitaire Royale
Solitaire Royale
Solitaire Royale is a computer game developed by Spectrum HoloByte in 1987 for the Apple IIGS, DOS, Macintosh and Amiga.-Gameplay:Solitaire Royale is a computer solitaire card-game simulation...
, the first computer card solitaire program. They were the first to bring Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
to gamers outside the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Sokoban
Sokoban
is a type of transport puzzle, in which the player pushes boxes or crates around in a warehouse, trying to get them to storage locations. The puzzle is usually implemented as a video game....
to gamers outside Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was also the distributor for Domark
Domark
Domark Software was a video games software house based in the United Kingdom. The name was derived from the given names of its founders, Dominic Wheatley and Mark Strachan...
games before Domark set up its own US operations in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
.
In 1993
1993 in video gaming
-Events:*March — In Sweden, the Swedish video game magazine Super PLAY starts. The original name is Super Power.*Midway Games embroiled in controversy for its game Mortal Kombat from 1992 when the game is launched for video game consoles in 1993....
, Spectrum HoloByte acquired MicroProse
MicroProse
MicroProse was a video game publisher and developer, founded by Wild Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982 as Microprose Software. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Spectrum HoloByte and has remained a subsidiary or brand name under several other corporations since...
. For the following years, games from both companies were published under their respective brands, but in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
all titles were consolidated under the MicroProse brand.
The merged company was acquired by Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game production and publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company.Hasbro Interactive was formed late in 1995 in order to compete in the computer and video game arena. Several Hasbro properties, such as Monopoly and Scrabble, had already...
in 1998, and what had been Spectrum HoloByte ceased to exist when the development studio in Alameda was closed in 1998. Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
subsequently sold all the assets of the various Hasbro Interactive studios to Infogrames
Infogrames
Infogrames Entertainment SA was an international French holding company headquartered in Paris, France. It was the owner of Atari, Inc., headquartered in New York City, U.S. and Atari Europe. It was founded in 1983 by Bruno Bonnell and Christophe Sapet using the proceeds from an introductory...
, now Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
.
The chairman of Spectrum Holobyte, Gilman Louie
Gilman Louie
Gilman Louie is technology venture capitalist who got his start as a video game designer and then ran the CIA venture capital fund. He graduated in 1983 from San Francisco State University. He attended the while at Harvard Business School in 1997....
, also founded Nexa Corporation, a developer of entertainment software, which went on to merge with Spectrum Holobyte.
External links
- Spectrum HoloByte profile from MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...